SBS’s “8 O’Clock News” has revealed the extent of Choi Jong Hoon’s ties to Senior Superintendent Yoon, the police officer previously suspected of misusing his position to help cover up criminal activity in the celebrity chatroom controversy.

On the March 18 broadcast of the show, SBS reported that Choi Jong Hoon had talked with its production staff on March 2 through a phone interview to reveal his relationship with Senior Superintendent Yoon.

According to the report, when Choi Jong Hoon was asked about Yoon, he replied, “Higher-ups in the police? That’s right. I think I know of some.” He then sent a photo of the Senior Superintendent to SBS.

Choi Jong Hoon continued, “We’ve played golf together once. I heard that he was in the Blue House. He has experience being in the police.” In early 2018, Choi Jong Hoon, former Yuri Holdings CEO Yoo In Suk, Senior Superintendent Yoon, and Yoon’s wife had played golf together. Yoon, who served as an administrator at the presidential office of civil affairs at the time, and Yoon’s wife, a resident officer who worked in Malaysia, played golf with celebrities and businessmen.

Choi Jong Hoon had also shared concert tickets with Yoon’s wife. He stated, “[His wife] lives in Malaysia with their kids. So when I had a concert in Malaysia, I gave her tickets. I also know Senior Superintendent Yoon’s wife’s phone number.” The concert tickets had been VVIP tickets worth 210 thousand won (approximately $186) and VIP tickets worth 150 thousand won (approximately $132).

Choi Jong Hoon then mentioned Senior Superintendent Yoon and Yoo In Suk’s relationship, saying, “I think they’re very close. [Yoo] told me that [Yoon] is in the Blue House, so he’s very high ranking, and that I should take care of them when I give them concert tickets.”

In response to this, Senior Superintendent Yoon stated, “We played golf and had a meal, but I didn’t have those requests.”

Although Choi Jong Hoon talked openly about Senior Superintendent Yoon through this phone call, when he arrived at the police station for questioning on March 17, he denied these ties. When asked about his relationship with the police officer, Choi Jong Hoon had answered, “I have no connection [to the former officer].”

Previously, Choi Jong Hoon confessed to his past drunk driving incident but denied having collusive ties with the police.